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By Joe Buscaglia

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Bills WR on EJ: "It's the best I've ever seen him"

by Joe Buscaglia,posted Aug 14 2014 8:59PM

While the Buffalo Bills wrapped up their second joint practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was one overwhelming story line that had to do with the player every fan is hoping to see more from in 2014. Bills starting quarterback EJ Manuel had, by many accounts, his best practice since the team started training camp.

It wasn’t just a reaction from the onlooking media, either. His teammates definitely took notice as he was spreading the ball around during team drills on the campus of Saint Vincent College against Steelers defenders.

“I told EJ, man, to be honest I told, my exact words: It's the best I've ever seen him,” said wide receiver Mike Williams. “I don't think he incompleted a pass today. Everything was on time, we got everything we wanted, it was like perfect. Coming out of our breaks, the ball right there... this is the best I've seen him. If he keeps getting like this, we're going to be something to play with.”

Manuel looked crisp on the majority of his throws and hit his receivers in stride throughout team drills on Thursday. While he has performed well on occasion at St. John Fisher College during training camp, what was it about Thursday’s practice that helped him play at that level?

“Competition. It's a competitive environment, we're going against a different team,” Manuel answered. “Obviously this is their house so we wanted to come in and give them a good look. And we didn't want them to feel like we were wasting their time.”

The practice was perhaps his best since he’s taken the field in 2014, but one practice does not mean that Manuel has arrived. The quarterback would even be the first to admit that.

“I thought I was consistent, and that's something I want to continue to build on,” he said. “Don't let it be a one, or a two, or a three-day streak... make it an every day thing. It's a process. I'm still going to continue to buy into the process.”

Manuel and the Bills concluded their two-day practice session in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Thursday night. The two teams get Friday off and meet once again in a preseason setting at Heinz Field on Saturday night.